Queensland
Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]
Legislative Assembly
TUESDAY, 26 JUNE 1883
Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy
QUEENSLAND PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES.
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
SIXT'J:-I SE::SSION OF 'J:'HE EIGJ:-I'.I'J:-I PARLIAJY.IEN'J:',
APPOINTED TO MEET
.A.'l' BRISBAXE, ON THE TWEXTY-SIXTH DAY OF JUNE, IN 1'IIE FORTY-SEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF HER ~iAJl,STY QUEEN VICTORIA, IX 'l'HE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1883.
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LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. MEMBERS SWORN. The following members having been presented Tucsd,,y, 2G June, 1883. and sworn, subscribed the roll :~ The Hon. Albert N orton, Esq. (Minister for Vactwcies during llez~ess.~:vrembers S\vorn.-}~loctions \Vorks), Port Curtis; the Hon. Charles Edward and Qualilications CommittN•.-Bill p,·o formti. 'l'he Opening Specch.-Addrc,l'-.5~ in lteply. Chubb, EsC[. (Attorney-General), Bowen. THic House met at 12 o'clock, a few minutes ELECTIOJ'\S AND QUALH'ICATIONS after which hour a message was conveyed by the COMMITTEE. "G sher of the Black llod, that His I<;xcellency the The SPEAKER, in accordance with the Administrator of the Government reC[nested the Legislative Assembly Act, laid on the table his attendance of JYir. Speaker and hon. members of warrant appointing the Committee of Elections the Legislative Assembly in the Council Cham and Qualifications for the present session. ber. The SPEAKER, accompanied by hon. mem BILL PRO FOR11fA. bers of the Assembly, accordingly proceeded to The PREMIER (Sir Thomas Mcllwraith) the Legislative Council, and, having heard the presented a Bill to provide against Personation Address of Hifl Excellency, returned to their and other Frauds at Elections, and moved that own Chamber. it be read a first time. Question put and passed. The House resumed at half-past 3 o'clock. THE OPENIKG SPEECH. VACANCIES DURING RECESS. The SPEAKER reported that the House had, in the earlier part of the clay, attended the The SPEAKER announced that since the Administrator of the Government in the Legis termination of last Session the following vacan lative Council Chamber, where His Excellency cies had occurred in the House, namely:~ delivered an Opening Speech to both Houses of 1. By the resignation of the Hon. Pope Alex Parliament, of which, for greater accuracy, he had obtained a copy, which he would now read to ander Cooper, F~sC[., Member for the Electoral District of Bowen. the House:~ 2. By the resignation of Albert Norton, Esq., "HoNOURABI,E GENTLEMEN Ol!' THE LEGISLA Member for the Electoral District of Port Curtis. TIVE COUNCIL, AND GENTLE21IEX Ol!' 1'HE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY,~ That, upon the occurrence of each of the said "I have much pleasure in meeting you for the vacancies, he had i,sued his writ for the election purpose of submitting to your consideration and of a member to fill the same, and that such decision various weighty matters affecting the writs had been duly returned to him, with certi interests of our country. ficates respectively endorsed thereon of the elec "I am sure you will join with me in an ex tion of the following gentlemen, namely:~ pression of sorrow and regret at the death of our 1. The Hon. Charles Edw:ud Chubb, Esq., as htte Governor, Sir Arthur Kennecly, whose long Member for the Electoral District of Bowen. and useful life in the service of his country has 2. The Hon. Albert Norton, Esq., as Member ensured for his memory well merited apprecia, for the Electoral District of Port Curtis, tion. 1883-ll 2 The Opening Speecit. [ASSEMBY.] The Opening Speecft.
"I have been advised by Her Majesty's Secre labour, and secure the return of the htbourors to tary of State for the Colonies that Sir Anthonv their own country. These objects, my Govern Musgrave has been appointed Governor of th-e ment considers, have been at length secured, and Colony, and will leave England for Brisbane the Regulations will be submitted for your about the middle of August. approval. "I have to congratulate you upon the very "In the event of these Hegulations being propitious season with which the country has adopted and the labour wants of the Colony just been favoured. Our agricultural and pas being thus adequately supplemented, a happy toral pursuits have been conducted with more solution of the e1nbarrassing qnestionR arising than comn1on success ; ·while our tnining indus~ out of the employment of Pacific Islanders and a tries have held their own. The rapid influx of still more olJjectionable cbss of labourers--the population has beneficially stimulated produc Chinese-will have been provided. Although my tion and trade ; while the manner in which Government believes that recruiting by Queens immigrants, as \Vell as large accessions of expe~ land labour vessels is, as tt rule, legitimately and rienced colonists from other parts of Australia, humanely conducted, and that the isbnders are have been absorbed into our varied industries invttriably well treated in the Colony, it is tm affords undeniable proof of the soundness of our fortunntely too true thttt recruiting is not entirely prosperity. free from abuses, and that insuperable difficul "An Agreement has been made with a com ties are encountered in endeavouring to legally pany for the construction of a line of railway establish the guilt of offending masters of vessels. from Charleville to Point Parker, on the Gulf of These occasional abuses have seriously but un Oarpentaria, under the provisions of the Railway justly compromised the reputation of our Colony Companies Preliminary Act of 1880. This abroad, and my :Ministers are confident that Agreement will be submitted for your approval every well-disposed colonist will participate in and ratification. Your ratification of an Agree the satisfaction they feel at the prospect that ere ment under the same Act for a line from Charle long the possibility of such abuses will have ville to the New So nth \V ales border will also be ceased to exist. ought, and I trust both agreements will com- "The report of the "G ncler Secretary for Lands, mend themselves favourably to your calm and which will be hid before you, shows that the de dispassionate jud>,rment. sire to acquire land in almost every clistrict of the "For some time past the imminent danger of Colony continues unabated. \Vhile a greater annexation by a Foreign Power of the adjacent area has been selected during the past year than island of New Guinea has caused my Govern during any year since 1877, it is not gratifying to ment much concern and uneasiness. Ultimately find that the quantity under cultivation still it was determined by a formal act of annexation forms a very small proportion of the amount to establish permanently British claims to the alienated. possession of that country. Accordingly that "During the past year the progress of Pnblic portion of New Guinea east of the one hundred Works has been accelerated. Plans are being and forty-first meridian and the adjoining islands prepared for important Public Buildings for up to the one hundred and fifty-fifth meridian which money has been alreacly voted, and con were annexed on the fourth of April last. This tracts have been let in l~ngland for the Gun action has not yet received the sanction of Her boats provided for in last year's Estimates for Majesty ; but there can be no question that, the Defence of the Colony. however distasteful to some of our countrymen "Plans and sections of various lines of Rail at home further extensions of territory may be, way will be submitted for your approval. New Guinea and the adjacent groups of Pacific Islands must form part of the future Australian "An accident on the Sandgate Line having Nation. The course taken by my Government excited strong doubts in the public mind as to has, in my opinion, furnished the best possible the safety of our railways, a Royal Commis security against future embarrassments, and I sion has been appointed to inquire into and am happy to state has received the hearty report upon their management. endorsement of the several Australian Colonies. "The Government of Victoria having invited I may add that at the instance of the Victorian a Conference of Delegates from the various Government concerted action has been taken Colonies to consider the advisableness of Aus with the object of inducing Her Majesty's tralasia joining the Postal Union, a series of Government to annex those Islands in the meetings was held in Sydney last month, at one Pacific whose interests are deemed in many of which an affirmative resolution was carried, respects identical with those of Australia. Queensland dissenting; but the terms of the " Correspondence has been continued with the proposal as agreed to by the other Colonies are, Indi:1n Government in reference to the Regula in the opinion of my Ministers, such as to pre tions under which eligible bbourers from that clude hope of their offer to join being accepted. country may be introduced for the more effectual "Arrangements have been made for expediting prosecution of tropical agriculture in this colony. the future transit of English ::\:Iails by way of The difficnlty has been to frame Regulations Torres Straits, so as to ensure their delivery at which, while meeting the views of the Indian Brisbane from London in forty-four days, or Government, would furnish ample safeguards simultaneously with the mail received by the against injuriotw com]Jetition with European Peninsular and Oriental Sen ice. A llcw and 1'he Opening Speech. C26 JUNE.] Address in Reply. 3 more advantageous contract for coastal mails If not, an Additional Members Bill, providing concluded some months ago with the Austral for the more glaring inequalities of represen ashtn Steam Navigation Company also takes tation, will be introduced as soon as practicable. effect on the first of July. " 'fhe following other measures will also be "The increasing prosperity of the Colony, the submitted to your judgment :- attractions of the Torres Straits Ronte, and the "A Bill to Consolidate and Amend the Laws special means adopted by the Government for regulating the Sale by Retail of Intoxicating disseminating trustworthy information in the Liquors within the Colony of Queensland. JYiother Country, have combined to make ''A Bill to Consolidate and Codify the Laws re Queenslanrl more popular than heretofore among lating to Bills of Exchange and Promissory Notes. the emigrating classes. The demands for pas " A Bill to Consolidate and Amend the Laws sages have been of late so numerous that the relating to the Insane. Agent-General has been obliged, by the want of " A Bill to Amend the Pastoral Leases Act means of transit, to reject many eligible applica of 1869. tionH. Arrangements have therefore been made "A Bill for the Protection of Oysters and the with the British-Imlia Company for a fortnightly Encouragement of Oyster Fisheries. service np to the end of the present year, without "A Bill to Amend the Law relating to Juries. any adrlitional expense beyond the guarantee of "A Bill to Amend the Law relating to Leases emigrants at contract rates. JYiy :Ministry are and Sales of Settled Estates. much gratified at this condition of affairs, and "A Bill to Amend the Oaths Acts. have good grounds for hope that the increased "A Bill to Amend the Law relating to the facilities for reaching our shores, together with Rights and Liabilities of Married Women. the fuller knowledge of the attractions of the "A Bill to provide for the Construction, Colony, now obtained by intending emigrants at Maintenance, and Management of \Vorks for home, will result in an increase of immigration the Storage and Distribution of \Yater. and a decrease of cost. "A Bill to Amend the Customs Act of 1873. " Correspondence has been renewed with the Imperial Government with the object of making " A Bill to Amend and Consolidate the Laws arrangements to complete the survey of our coast. relating to the Distillation of Spirits. "These various measures I submit for your "GENTLR3IEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE AssEMBLY,- consideration with the greatest confidence in " The finances of the Colony are in a sound your judgment, believing that you will be guided condition, and my JYiinisters expect soon to to your decision by a desire for the happiness place before you an account of the operations for and prosperity of the people of Queensland." the year, which will disclose a gratifying surplus. "At the close of last Session, the Loans autho ADDRESS IN REPLY. rised by Parliament which had not been placed Mr. BLACK moved- That a Select Committee be appointed to prepare an on the market amounted to £3,733,000. Of this Address in Re]Jly to the Speech delivered by His Ex amount, £2,500,000 was sold in London on the cellency the Administrator of the Government in open~ ing the sixth Session of the eighth Parliament of 9th May. The price realised was £971s. 2d. per Queensland, and that the said Committee consist of £100 debenture. Before this portion of the Loan :"~Ir. ~1 • A. Cooper, }!r. R. A. Kingsford, 1\ir. J. S. Jessop, was floated a promise was given by the Govern the Colonial Secretary, and the mover. ment that an Act for the Inscription of Stock in Mr. COOPER seconded the motion. London should he passed. A Bill in fulfilment of Question put and passed. this undertaking will be submitted to you at once. The Committee retired, and, having returned, brought up the following Address, which was ''Provision will require to be made to augment read by the Clerk :- certain Loan Votes for Public W arks and "To His Excellency Sir ARTHUR HUNTER Immigration purposes, which are or will shortly P ALMEH, Knight Commander of the Most be exhausted. Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. "Provision for the redemption of Debentures George, President of the Legislative Council to the amount of £1,019,000, issued in 18G4, will of the Colony of Queensland, and Adminis require to be made this Session, and a Bill will trator of the Government thereof. he introduced for the purpose. "MAY IT PLEASE YouR ExcELLENCY,- " The Estimates for the ensuing year will be " vV e, Her Majesty's loyal and dutiful sub only submitted, and will, I think, be found to be jects, the Members of the Legislative Assembly framed with due regard to efficiency and economy. in Parliament assembled, desire to assure Your "HoNoURABLE GENTLEMEN Ol" THE LEGISLATIVE Excellency of our continued loyalty and affection CoUNCIL AND GENTLE~IEN OF THE LEGIS towards the Person and Government of Our LATIVE AssE3IllLY,- Most Gracious Sovereign, and to tender our " Owing to the rapid but unequal settlement thanks to Your Excellency for the Speech with of population a Redistribution of the Electorates which you have opened the present Session. has become essential to secure more evenly " \Ve join with Your Excellency in an expres balanced representation of the various districts sion of regret at the untimely death of our late and and interests in the Colony. If the business of much-esteemed Governor, Sir Arthur Kennedy. the Session will allow time for passing a Hedis "\Ve receive with satisfaction the assurance tribution Bill, my Ministers will submit such a that the various industries of the Colony are in measure in due course for your consideration. a satisfactory condition. Address in Reply. [ASSEMBLY.] Address in Reply.
"We shall give our careful and serious con the increase in the out-put of wool was so slight sideration to the various measures submitted by as to be hardly worth mentioning. It amounted to only about 2 per cent. on the previous year. Your Excellency, and we trust thttt our labours He was referring, of course, to the value of the may result in promoting the advancement and wool exported, and the increase was only about 2 per cent. \Vith regard to agriculture, especially prosperity of the Colony tropical agriculture, from which great things had always been expected, he regretted to say that Mr. BLACK, in moving- the returns of last year did not come up to those of the previous year by 25 per cent. No doubt a That the Address in Reply to the Opening Speech of huge amount of capital had been invested in His Excellency the Administrator of the Govern1nent, as read by the Clerk, be now adopted- that industry, but it certainly behaved them to take care that they did not, by bad legislation, said he believed it was customary, on occasions destroy an industry from which so much wa; like the present, for a supporter of the Govern expected, and into which so much capital had ment to move the adoption of the Address in been introduced. Taking it on the whole, he Reply, and the fact that the moving of the considered that although they might fairly con resolution had fallen to his lot that evening gratulate themselves on the prosperity of the gave him great satisfaction. At the same time, country, still that prosperity was one which he reserved to himself full power to criticise should not lead them recklessly to destroy any anything that he considered deserving of one industry unless they were preprcrod to show criticism in the action of the Government, how they were going to replace it with another. either in their administrative or legislative There was one significant fact he mig-ht allude capacity. At the outset he might be per to, and that was the enormous increase in the mitted to express his sincere regret at the death imports over the exports. He hoped that later on of the late Governor, Sir Arthur Kennedy ; and Boine hon. gentlmnan n10re accustcnned tu figures that regret, he believed, would be endorsed by than himself would be >Lble to expbin tlmt bet, hon. members on both sides of the House and but he could not help pointing out th>Lt during by the colony at large. In Sir Arthur Kennedy the past yefcr their imports had been nearly they had lost, he might safely say, a true friend £2,000,000 more than their exports. The ex,wt of the colony-a gentleman who, had he been figures of the excess of imports over exports were spared to reach home and enjoy that rest which £1,909,411-a sum equal to £7 14s. 2d. per head his faithful labours in the service of Her of the population. That meant that every man, Majesty had earned for him, would have been woman, and child in the colony had incurred a able to advance the interests of Queensland in a debt of £7 14s. 2d. more than they produced to very important degree in the old country. He compensate for it. No doubt a very consider also begged to tender his sincere expressions able portion of that two millions had g-one into of sympathy with Miss Kennedy, a lady who the sugar industry-certainly £700,000 of it had had especially endeared herself to all 'classes been thus expended-a fact whJCh showed that in the colony. It was to be hoped that Sir capitotlists had confidence in the industry. Arthur Kennedy's successor, when he arrived Sev1'ral hon. gentlemen had taken the opportu in the colony, would give the SaJlle satisfac nity during the recess to take a tour in the tion that he had given. That the adminis North and judge for themselves what that tration of the colony was at present in able industry really meant to the colony. The hands he was sure they would all admit. He gentleinan whose visit gave hirn greater could only say that had his voice any weight satisfaction than any other was the leader of in those matters, he would be very glad to see the Opposition, who went up to M"'ckay at the time come when a gentleman of such high his invitation, and not only saw for him abilities and strict political integrity as the pre self what the industry was, and what it w"'s sent Administrator of the Government would capable of, but placed himself in a position to be allowed to retain that office as long as he determine what was likely to be the best solu lived. One of the first paragraphs in the Open tion of the very vexed question-the Coolie ing Speech referred to the continued prosperity labour question. Owing to the large a1nonnt of of the country. No doubt, at first glance the capital which had been invested in that industry, colony might be considered to be in a fairly and ovdng to the large ~European population prosperous condition. At the same time, he did which had been already employed in it, a very not think it would be wise to shut their eyes serious difficulty had arisen, and it was now to the fact that although a huge amount of found that the supply of labour which they capital had during the last few years been maintained in order to carry on that industry introduced and invested in·the colony, yet up to must be supplemented by coloured labour of some the present time no corresponding return to that sort. The supply from the islands which had large amount of capital had been received by hitherto fnrniRhed the labour was becoming those by whom it was provided. As to their mines, limited in consequence of the great demands although it was stated that they were fairly made, and not only that, but the men they were holding their own, yet when they came to now getting were physically inferior to those they analyse the position of the mining industry they had been receiving for some years past. Frequent found that a decrease in the out-put had un charges were made as to the way in which those doubtedly taken place-a decrease to the extent men were recruited, and he was free to admit of 31, per cent. on the returns of the previous that coloured labour, to be satisfactory to the year.~ 'rhe copper industry seemed to have en colony at large, must be introduced free of all tirely collapsed, but its place seemed to have been those suspicions and charges which had been taken by an industry which he believed would made against coloured labour. If the colony be of still greater importance to the future of the and he was sp.,aking from a general point of view colony-namely, tin. Throughout the mineral and without any regard to his own personal districts of the North the people were devoting interests in the matter-was to b\') liable at any their energies to the development of the tin tin1e to be chn,rged with encouraging slavery, mines, and there seemed every prospect tbat the kidnapping, or any of those abuses of which illey tin industry would prove a financial success. so constantly heard, and if an industry could not Turning to the pastoral interests, from which be carried on without the colony being liable to they had been led to expect so much, they found have those charges brought against it, then the that notwithstanding the assurance that they had sooner they put a stop to that industry the better. J;lad a season of almost nnexampled vrosperity, He for one would neve1· stand u;p in the House Address in Reply. [26 JUNE.] Address in Reply. and advocate a system which could he proved to Although he was in the North, and steamers enta,i] the abuses which were sa,id to accompany going towards the sugar-growing districts were the Polynesian traffic. He believed, however, that passing by, the hon. member never set his foot many of those charges, when they came to he on a single plantation. He was quite prepared, investigated, would be proved to he unfounded. however, to hear the hon. member get up The supply of labour was, however, falling short, and give hon. members a dissertation on and at the end of last s,ession it was pointed the labour question, and say that he had out that Cingalese were coming to the country. been in the North and seen for himself. The They did arrive, and turned out to be a perfect leader of the Oppoi
properties, they ought to make a proposal to get coloured labour from there, because he did snrrencler their leases, and get a renewal at a not think so-would be advantageous to the whole higher rate of the proportion not required for of Australia ; and he hoped that the proposal to bud-grant railways; then the colony should have annex other islands, such as the New Hebrides, those rn,il wn,ys. A letter had recently appeared would also be successfully carried out. 'l'he in the pa .. pers frmn a war correMpondent, Mr. Speech said that "during the past year the ForGes. Although he (Mr. Black) had the progress of public works has been accelerated." pleasure of meeting and entertaining that gentle He did not at all agree with that. He considered rn::tn, he did not ::tttach an atom of importance to that the progress of public works had not been the arguments he made use of in that letter. accelerated. Two years ago he had heard it J\fr. Forbes pointed to America, and, accord said that the different departments were unable ing to his sho\'dng, it wa~ the n1ost dmnoral to get throug-h the work. Any complaints that ised country in the world. He (Mr. Black) were made about railway surveys were always did uot believe a word of it. He believed met by the statement that it was impossible to thn,t America, and American institutions, g·et railway plant. He thought the time had UH of popnhtion, and its bcnefici::tl clistribntion success [lnd prosperity th[lt had attended the through the country. It 'VfLH :1 1l1[Lttor of great extension of milwa,ys in Cnnmla a,nd the 1~nited congru,tnbtion that the enlightened \vorks policy Bta.tos, and the ei1ornwns expmHliture on tho of the Government had been the mean" of linr.s tapping the prfl,irie lands, and settling bringing a great nu1nber of innnigrauts to the people upon them. In the same way, if this shores of the colony without interfering with colony could push its railw[lys out to the in the w.ages earned by the labouring class \vithin terior, whether by con1panie..; or by State loans, it. He did not suppose there was a greater it would be with the same result. They had un demand for labour in any part of the Australias, told wealth in the enormous interior of the or a higher rate of rernuncration paid for it, than colony, and they lmd only to tap our exten in Queenslu,nd. Australia had often been said siYe paHtoral aHd 1nineral ref':ources to inRure to be the paradise of the working man ; and their being brought to 1narket. The question there was no doubt that their Garden of Eden wa' arose how they should do it. vV ere they in in Queensland. Let them contrast the state of a position to do so by borr1nving 1noney '? the working classes of the colony to-day with The Pre1nier on a, fortner occnsion 1Jointed out what it was at the advent of the present their indebtedness, which a:nonnted to-day to Government. At th"t time there W[IS " loud £73 per head. In Canatla it W[IS the fact cry against in1rnigra.tion, becun:-::e there \vas no that the railways were constructed by land· use bringing people into the country to live npon grants, with large bonuses in addition, and the those already settled in it, when it was hard for public debt was only £\J per hend. \Nhen they the latter to sustain themselves. Then there reflected tlmt the railways in Queensland ont was the fact of people leaving the colony in west were not paying, that from llalby especi hundreds to obtain employment elsewhere. ally, "\Vestw~"trd, as it "\Vas t-:hown conclm;;ively Now, with facilities of immigration, it was by tbe return moved for by the hon. mem found hard to meet the demand for labour. ber for Clermont last session, that the line was That was owing to the sound policy of the only paying 1 per cent. over ''Torking expenses, present Government in having public works and what possible gu,in could be expected to accrue imn1igration going hand-in-hand. So great to the country from the borrowing of more was the demand for labour that many of the money for the purpose of pushing· those lines milway works of the colony were stayed for out west when the country was saddled with want of hands, in spite of the fact that advertise that deficit on the cost of construction ; for ments for large numbers of men wanted were the taxpayers of the country had to pay all the appearing daily in the papers. 'The greatest interest beyond thatl per cent., and what benefit to credit was due to the Government for the the people at Cook or Burke was such a line? It vigorous works policy which they had initiated had been proposed the other dny that a railway upon entering office and had carried out since. rate should be charged against the gcmtlmnen holdw '!.'he next matter referred to was the agreement ing runR out west. It 'vas ~trange that the colony between the Government [llld the company never knew the enorrnous value of those western formed for the construction of the land-gmnt rail lands nntil quite lately. The gentlemen holding way from Charleville to the Gnlf of Carpent"ria them now told them that the lands were worth at Point Parker, under the authority of the Hail 10s. per :wre, yet now the~· paid only 5 per cent. way Companies Preliminary Act. The gentleman on a capit"l value of 2d. to 5d. per acre. But if the who had preceded him had de"lt so exh[lustively value be taken for the first period of seven years with that subject that it was only necessary now to in the twenty-one years' lease at 5s. per Hrtna.rc refer to the fact that the Government had received n1ile, the rent was ~ of a farthing; for two tenders for the com;truction of the 'N arrego ~he second seven years, at 10s. per 1nile, it 'vas Railway and two for the construction of the 'l of a farthing; and for the third period, at His. Transcontinental ; and that they had adopted per mile, it was 1~ farthing. :Five per cent. on what they th7ught the better of those agreements, tluct capital value, which they told them they and had prc~sentecl them to the House. He did would pay, would be 1~d. for the first period, not see that the House had anything whatever 3~d. for the second, and 5gd. for the third to do now with the question of the principle of period of the lease. He submitted that, if the the construction of rail ways by land grants. land was worth 10s. per acre, they owed the That had alre"dy been determined upon by gentlemen forming the syndicate their best that Parliament in 1880, when the R"il thanks for having pointed out that they h"d such way Companies Preliminary Act was 1mssed. a magnificent source of revenue to draw upon. Hon. members on the other side of the House What did the lessees propose? They said those spoke warmly in favour of the principle during lands were worth 10s. per mile, but did not want the second reading of the Bill. The hon. leader the Government to dispose of them for 1Os. or of the Opposition spoke out his mind on the for its equivalent in" railway. They were willing point, and said "he would agree to any scheme by to pay a railway rate of 5 per cent. interest on a which the colony would secure a railway in capital value of ll:ld. on all runs within seventy exchange for our waste lands," and'' whether five miles of either side of a railway line, [lndof 9ijd. the line so constructed became the ultimate on runs extending fifty miles beyond the seventy property of the Government or not was a matter five miles boundary. That W[IS an additional of n1inor consideration." Now it was a n1a.tter 15s. per squ~re mile on runs within seventy-five of debate amongst the great st>ttisticians of miles of the line, and 10s. per squ[lre mile on "ll the clay whether the railways should or should runs within fifty miles of the seventy-five miles not be in the hands of the Government of a boundary, or interest on a capital value of llld. country. M. Leon Say, in an exhaustive article [lnd 9~d., though admitting the land w11~ worth in a late number of one of the reviews, referred 10s. per acre-~ d. aml 2,\'d. being 5 per cent. on to the fact that the cost of railway construction the capital value of lltd. and 9~d. per acre. 'rhe in Engbnd \V [Is £40,000 per mile, and in Frt>nce position t passing of the Preliminary Rail ways Bill. One sation. The supplyoflabourforthe sugar-planterR of the greate:-;t opponent~ of the agreen1ent \Vas was anoth'er important topic. It was said that the the hon. memberfor D,,rJing- Down,; (~Ir. c\Iiles), Government would have considerable difficulty in an~ he spoke very strong-ly in favour of the Bill fr[Lnling regulations which would secure the re· on rts secon known on both sides of the House that matter wus put off from day t" day, from week that Bill was not going to be passed. The to week, und from month to month, until the Premier wonlrl deny it, of course ; but what very last day, when they could hold out no happened afterwards showed that he never longer, and then they caYed in-threw up the intended to ]m''' it, for he caught at any pretext sponge. All that was done by instructions from to 80Ca)J8 from the position he founrl himself in. the Government. The Crown Solicitor was He (Mr. Griffith) did not complain, from his instructed not to accept service of the writ point of view, of what the Pnemier did, and he becanse the Postmaster-General happened to said so at the time. The Premier might call be outside the colony-nothing but personul himself a man of honour, and say that if he service would do. Then he was instructed to could not cany his measures he woulcl not hold take udvttntage of every form of law to prevent of!ice, and yet hold office after he w;cs defmcted, the matter being brought to an issue, and by an cl he (Mr. Griffith) did not object. He remem tlutt meu11s they managed to keep it back from bered saying at the time to the Government that December till l\Jarch, and that was how the the cup of their iniquity was not filled; and he Premier hud accepted the challenge he h:td was very glad they lmd retained office a little thrown down against the enforcement of thut longer, because the eyes of the people hac! illegal charg-e. Another letter was brought to Hince been opened a. great deal wider, a.nd hin1 under sin1ilar circumstances, and in order they had been enubled to see the Gov not to put the country to the expense of fighting ermnent in their true chamcter. He did two actions on the same question he had offered not intend that remark to apply to ull the to give any guarantee to pay the amount if it -were members of the Government, but to whut he held to be'legttl. J3ut the Government insisted on might call the ruling members of the Govern putting the country to that useless expense. ment. 'fhe people now knew what kind of men The idea of the Government seemed to be to had been governing them for the past fom·years. obey no law that could not be physically enfor~ed There had never been such an opening of eyes against them. There was another case whJCh in any of the Australian colonies us to the cha hud just been suggested to him, that of Mr. P. racter of a Government they had been suffering F. 1\Iacdonald. That gentleman was as much under us there had been in Queensland during entitled to the money awarded to him by the the past eight or nine months. Therefore he Su]Jreme Court us the public CJ·editor was en was glad that the Government had had an oppor titled to the interest on his debentures every tunity of going on a little longer, and were at January uml July. The Government defied the last compelled to submit their measures to law, and that was the position they had taken Parliament. Under present circumstances the up in matters of administration generally. They delay in meeting Parliament was entirely inex defied uny law thut could not be enforced against cusable, m1d not calling them together before them. the end of the financial year was reprehensible The PREMIER: We shall defy 1\Ir. Macdonald in the extreme. Unless opinions in the House as long as we are here. had changecl since last year very materially, the Government must know thut they had not the 1\lr. GHIFFITH said he believed the Premier rmnotest chance of carrying their rneatmretl \vas incapable of seeing any obligation to through the present Parliament; and yet, know obey the law unless he was compelled. He ing thn,t, they had deliberately kept the House had met other men similarly constituted, but out of session until the end of the financial year; they did not hold such a prominent position and they were really bringing about the re,sult as the Premier of u great colony. Then that there would be no parlimnentury govern he might mention the unblushing ubuse of ment this year at all. Unless the Premier in advertising by the Government. T?e Premier tended to run a way from his word ugttin, ttncl bughed ugain, and prohahly he d1d not sec hold a more humilittting position still, he must anything wrong in it; he did not perhapR see know very well that his measures stood no the harm of paying the public moneys to chance of being e:1rried; but he gave hin1 credit, his supporters in the Press, and keeping with all sincerity, for more spirit unci pluck udvertisements mvay from others who were thun that. But unless the Premier 2odopted not supporting the Government. But l;e wtts that course, which he conld not believe he speaking, he hoped, to some who dJcl see would adopt, he was putting the colony harm in such things, and who believed that in the position thut there could be no legis to spend the public moneys in subsidising lation at all this year, und that wus most friends unci supporters in the Press was wrong. reprehensible and indefensible. Before referring Another thing which he must refer to wus to matters mentioned in the Speech he would what he might e"ll the system of subsidised ullude to a few things that httd happened during falsehood which had been in vogue during the recess. One had reference to the Postal the last few months. Deliberate falsehoods Contract, and the action of the Government in had been started in one part of the colony, that matter was very singulur. Hon. members sent on to unother p;;,rt, and returned to who were here last yeur would remember that the place whence they came-falsehood_s yrhich he churgtcd the Government with endeavouring in many instances had been clearly and d1stmctly to foster their pet 1\fail Service by making subsidised. There were many persons who chttrges on correspondence received from Great regarded those things as wrong; he for one did, Britnin which were supposed by some persons to und should always expose them. be illegal. He himself refused to ptty, and The PREMIER: You ure not going to stop challenged the Government to enforce the charge ut " subsidised falsehoods," surely? \Vhere ure ifthey could. The Government promptly ttccepted they? the challenge, and immediately afterwaTds "'letter Mr. GRIFFITH said the caps fitted the heads was broug·ht to him which the postman refused to intended to wear them, and he need go no deliver until he puid what he considered to be the further. Another step which the Government extortionate charge made by the Government. In took during the recess was that described as the unswer to u letter, he was informed th"'t this was annexation of New Gninea. His Excellency the done by the authority of the Postmaster-General. Administrator of the Government said that a He (:'\Ir. Griffith) immediately commenced pro certain portion of New Guinea had been annexed ceedings ugainst the Postmaster-General, and wus on the 4th of April last. He doubted, however, met, as a low attorney would meet an ttction for whether that correctly described what had hap· debt brought ugainst his client, by every poc.sible pened. It was true, no doubt, thut Mr. Chester, delay that could be thrown in his way. The the Police Magistrute of Thursday Islund, went Address tn Repiy. [26 JUNE.] Address in Reply. 1:J to New Guinea at that date, hoisted the British upon which there might be the most extraordi flag, and said he took possession of the place on niLry divergence of opinion, each party holding behalf of Her JYI Mr. MACROS SAN : What did I do? of it, the people might rest assured that there Mr. GRil!'FlTH said the hon. member for was no danger to be feared from it; but the Townsville alw took a prominent part. Coolie question was a very much more difficult one, and was a very different one from Mr. MACROSSAN : Before you took it up. what many hon. members appeared to think Mr. GRLFFITH said he did not think the it was. He purposed that afternoon to Government at that time received much assist refer to some of the arguments brought ance from the present Premier, and the then Oppo forward by the hon. member for JYiackay, sition fought the Bill strenuously. He remem who stated that if additional European bered well the speeches that were made in the labour and Chinese labour were introduced House at the time, the protests that were made it would enter into competition with the labour against the Chinese legiHlation, and the various at present in the 'colony, and would necessarily epithets that were used. He had taken this tend to reduce the standard of wages in the opportunity to contradict a statement which colony. He quite agreed that Chinese labour he had not taken the trouble to contradict would compete with white labour, but he also before. thought that coolie labour would com]Jete with white labour, and it was no argument to say The PRKI\fiER: You deliberately said that 5imply that it would not. ·what was the work J opposed you in bringing forward your Chinese that white men could not do on a plantation? Dill. He had asked that question a great many Mr. Gltll!'FITH said he stated that the then times, and it had been differently answered. Gnvermnent did not get much assistance from 8ometimes it had been said that a white the hon. gentleman, and that they got the rrmn could not cut the cane, sometimes that strungest opposition from the then Opposition in he could not plant it, sometimes that he Parliament. The hon. member for Townsville, could not do the trashing, and sometimes that who sat in opposition, certainly supported the he could not cultivate it at all. But, in one Bill, but he did not remember that the vresent vlace and another, they found white men doing leader of the Government gave it much support. all those things. Even at Mackay itself they If the hon. gentleman did so he was very glad to found white men growing cane and taking it to hear it. The Chinese were now entirelv under the the mills. Thev found them growing cane and control of the cnlony, and if Parlian1ent chose taking it to the mills on the Clarence, where to impose a poll-tax of £100 a head, the Im white labour was entirely employed in its perial Government would not refuse their assent cultivation; at Maryborough, at Bundaberg, to the measure. In New South vVales they had and at Mackay itself. He certainly failed to done more; they provided that not more than see that cutting cane was not work in which one to every lOO tons of a ship's burden should be a white man might be engaged; and if they introduced. The matter was entirely in their were reduced to that argument-that a white hands, and immigration could be stopped in a man could not cut the cane·-he thought the moment if too many came. Nor was there subject was exhausted. The hon. member for the slightest fear of Chinese labour creating a JYiackay said at Mackay, where he spoke remark vested interest in the colony too strong to manage. ably well on the subject, ''It was no use If more than a few arrived, tpe House would comparing the colony of Queensland with almost unanimously insist upon passing strin countries like Demerara and :Mauritius, because gent regulations for excluding them. He in those countries there was this difference : had already said that the Government which that white men could not work in the field." carried the Bills relating to the immigration of There was no doubt that that difference Chinese did not receive much assistance, as far did exist, but he thought it led to a very a~ his memory led him to believe, from the different conclusion to that which the hon. present Premier. He had since the adjournment member for JYiackay appeared to draw from for tea had an opportunity of refreshing his it. The hon. member said that they could memory, and he found he was not mistaken. not draw the inference that in Queensland The first Bill brought in on that subject was the white labour would be ultimately driven out of Gold Fields Act Amendment Bill of 1876-the the country from the fact that in Demerara Bill to which Mr. Cairns refused his assent. and other countries it had been driven out, That Bill was carried on a division by 17 to 7, because those countries were countries where and amongst the " Noes " was the name of Mr. white labour could not work in the field; but he Mcilwraith. That was the first serious attempt (Mr. Griffith) contended that that argument was made in Queensland to restrict the number of the strongest argument that could be used Chinese. In the same year a Bill was brought against the introduction of coloured labour into in to put an additional duty on rice, and that this colony. This was a country where white also related to the Chinese. The division on labour could work in the field, and would come the second reading was taken on the 15th August, into competition with coloured labour. Some 1876, and the present Premier voted against that people thought that white men should not do also. Lord Carnarvon having refused to assent hard work in the field, and others thought there to the Gold Fields Bill, it was brought in again. was no reason why they should not. The Government also brought in the Chinese Immi gration llegulation Bill now in force. He found An HONOURABLE MEMBER: They won't. that the present Premier took no part whatever Mr. Glli:FFITH said that so long as they in the debate on it, and the second reading was found hon. gentlem~n preaching that working in carried without a division; but in committee the field was degrading labour-that agriculture there were two amendments, each of which was in of that kind was degrading to a white man favour of the Chinamen, and two divisions taken, there might be some difficulty in it; but he had but the present Premier took no part in yet to learn that the cultivation of sug~r-c=::ne them whatever; so that his (Mr. Griffith's) was any more degrading than the cultivatiOn memory had not deceived him-they had received of turnips, cabbage, or maize was. H no material assistance from the hon. gentlemen. might be harder work, and more costly pm He was very glad, however, to learn now that haps. The hon. gentleman talked about white the hon. Premier disapproved of Chinese im labour in connection with the sugar industry as migration, and it would be satisfactory to the underpaid labour, but he could not see w~at people of the colony to know that he disap there was in the cultivation of cane to reqmre proved of it. .As they on the Opposition side that the labour which grew it should be under disapproYed of it, and the Premier disapprorecl paid. It seemed to him to be aBsuming too .Address in Reply. [26 JUNE.j 15 lnuch. The experiment, as a matter of fact, had allowed to come here in sufficient numbers, or as not been tried, and the cultivation of sugar-cane the planters wanted them, would reach 1,000,000. was yet but a young industry. The experiment The hon. gentleman <]noted some figures to show of cultivating cane with white labour had not been that only something like 12,000 coolies had been tried except in Australia, and it had as yet only absorbed by Demerara, 1\Iauritius, nncl other been begun here. The question undoubtedly would colonies in a year. But the hon. gentleman have to be solved one day, and itmlmt be solYecl in seemed to forget that in J\1auritius there were one of two ways-it would be a C[Uestion as between something like 260,000 coolies already and that white labour or black. He believed the idea of .10,000 of them were native-born 1\Iauritians, the the two existing side by side-although it might children of coolie parents con1ing fron1 India. prove a ten1por The COLONIAL TREASURER (the Hon. reason that he did not read it till a fortnight A. Archer) : Give us an instance of one. after, as it was only on Sunday last that he read Mr. GRIFFITH said he gave the Colonial the report of his speech at Roma. He was not Treasurer credit for the most perfect sincerity, in the habit of r<"ading or correcting his speeches and he believed the hon. gentleman, in his for the Pre~;s after they were delivered. He innocence, had not the slightest notion of what had to compliment the hon. member for J\!Iackay was going on under his eyes. But about three upon the way in which he had moved the fourths of the people of the colony knew adoption of the Address. It had been the custom perfectly well that such things were. One might to bring forward an inexperienced me1nber for give a list of names that could be counted on the that duty ; but at the present time there was no fingers of one's two hands, and it would be member sitting in the Hmme for the first time, curious t0 see how many rings they were mem with the exception of his hon. and lettrned bers of. It was not necessary to define a colleague the Attorney-General, and for reasons ring. which would be apparent to the Opposition he (the Premier) had not asked that hon. gentleman to The PREMIER : What is a syndicate ? move the Address. He had, therefore, asked an Mr. G RIFJfiTH said the best definition he had able man to do it, and that hon. member had heard of a syndicate was, an association of gentle taken advantage of his position to make the men formed for the purpose of making a large b0st case he possibly could for himself and for fortune in a short time on a very small amount of the sugar industry. The hon. member h"d made money. He hoped that the Colonial Treasurer a good case and ~poken out well, and he gave would retain to the end that freedom from him every credit for doing so. He wished only complicity in anything like rings. He was glad to guard the House with regard to the fact that that hon. members would soon have serious the matters to which the hon. member h ourable men behind him-and say that he steamer. The hon. member sneered and said the had given any such encouragement. He had company would not bring immigrants unless at been asked to give them a little encourage a profit, but what an idea was it that people in ment; lmt he had not yielded one bit, and he business should not make a profit? Because the was alwetys prepared to accept a dissolution. mail company made a profit, they made a success How did the dissolution not come about? If the of their business. He had expected from the hon. member hetcl had any notion of looking into hon. member, in criticising the speech of the the principles by which parties were guided, and hon. member for l\1ackay, that he would have into the chamcters of men, he would have seen entered more enthusiastically and have gone at once thett his lmsiness wets to etssist the Govern deeply into the subject of coolie immigration ment to a certetin extent in putting through thett than he had clone. He had not thrown much Bill. He (the Premier) ha more afraid of their being endangered by the of doing so. The progress made in rail only remedy proposed by the hon. member for way construction had pleased neither the l'\orth Brisbane-flooding the colony with cheap hon. member for l'\orth Brisbane nor the European labour-a remedy of which he would hon. member for Mackay ; but he supposed be one of the most determined opponents. That nothing would please the hon. member for was not a so;ution of the question at all. If the Mackay but a railway from Mackay to some hon. member brought in Continental labour until where else. All he could say was that very the sugar-grower::; in the colony came into com material progress had been made in railway petition ;; ith those of other countries it would be extensions, and that greater efforts had been a miserable position for the working men of the made during the past year than in any year colony. The hon. member would have cheap before in queensland. A great deal of white labour, but he (the Premier) could rouse work had been done, as could be seen from the whole of the working men of Bl'isbane against the amount of money spent. A great outcry such a proposal as would provide white labour for had been raised on the matter, but they sugar plantations. A n1ore outrageous idea \Vas knew what it was-every district wanted to never propo,ed. The hon. member knew well have a railway made at the same time. that every liberal mind in the colony would re If they had put on all the surveyors in the colony volt at the idea of flooding the market with on the different lines of railway they could not cheap labour, and reducing the present rate of have got them ready in time to suit everybody, wages. In spite of what the hon. member said, They had done their best to satisfy the wants of he could contemplate a country, and he saw it the colony during the time they had been ad before him in Queensland, whose prosperity ministering the railways, and especially during depended on the two races working side by side. last year. 'The hon. gentleman characterised the 'l'he white population would be in a better posi Railway Department as being the worst managed tion, with better employment, and earning better department in the world. That might be the \vages, \vhile people of a different race \Vere case, but, if so, the seeds of it were sown by that working on the plantations. If the thing was hon. gentleman. He (the Premier) believed and bad in principle, why not do away with kanaka knew it to be a badly managed department, but htbour? He had no doubt that the coolie so long as railways were in the hands of the was far better than the kanaka. He had been Government it always would be a badly managed accused by a :Melbourne paper-one ef those department. He did not believe in railways papers the Liberal party thought worth while being in the hands of Government, and had to disseminate anwng~t the squ::ttters-of having never advocated that principle ; but he did allowed abuses to exist without invt'i'tigation. not think the Railway Department was worse He arlmitted that the trade was not advisable, managed than any other department of the u,nd that if they could get a better class of labour Public Service. At all eYents, the Government they ought to do awu,y with the kanaka trade. had made every effort to reform the service as A buses could not possibly take place in the far as they could. They had taken a very dif coolie trade, and they knew that the men would ferent course from that followed by the hon. be treated in a humane and Christian-like way. member for Darling Downs (Mr. Miles). When They would be defended in India, and they that hrm. member was Minister for \.Vorks he would be defended in the colony by humane went to Gym pie and told the people there that arhninistrntion; and what better could they three-fourths of the Civil servants, including the have? To come back to the point he was trying whole of the Hailway officials, were useless and to impress on the House: the position of the not wanted, and then when he made up his next working man would unquestionably be better .Estimates he increased the number of the Civil by having coolies on the plantations, and servants and raised their salaries. That hon. unless there was a black population for the member put some of the worst men into the sugar plantations much of the necessary work Public Service who ever got there. At all events could not be carried out. Millions of acres of he increased their number, after having declared land had been taken up on the faith of some such that the greater part of them were not wanted. system being established. Let them look at the vast number of workmen dependent on the Mr. MIL.ES : No, no ! sugar plantations-were those men to be thrown The PRI<;MI.ER said the hon. member had out of employment? \Vhen they came to see only to compare the .Estimates when he was the result of the principle enunciated by the Minister for Works with those of the previous hon. member for North Brisbane, they would year, and he would find that every word that he come to the conclusion that the two races could had said was thoroughly justified. The hon. work side by side and thrive, but he did not gentleman (Mr. Griflith) expressed a de•ire that say that the races should mix-that was the memoranda connected with the postal con a principle he had always opposed. For the ference at Sydney should be laid on the table. last fifty years legislation in .England had tended That document was not printed yet, having only to improve the position of the working man. He been received a short time ago, but it would be had been encouraged to live in a better house, to laid on the table as early as possible, when, per read books, to enjoy music, to work shorter hours, haps, the hon. gentleman would give some and to give more of his time to mental culture. reasons why Queensland should join the postal All that meant less labour and more money. union. The Government objected to it, and he They had encourag·ed the working man therefore was prepared to give very weighty reasons for to live up to a certain standard, and was he to those objections; at the same time he was quite be brought to the colony and told, "Unless you prepared to listen to the opposite arguments of can compete with a Chinaman and live on the the hon. gentleman. He (the Premier) was not wages he earns and the fare he lives on, you carried away by the clap-trap that that union must go to the wall"? That was a position was such a splendid thing, and that by it they of matters which members on his side of the would get their letters a great deal cheaper and House would never stand, and he did not think by more routes. All he knew was that the terms it would be seriously advocated by any honest o!1 which they were to join the union would have man in the colony. It was opposed to all honest resulted in a 'loss to the colony of £10,000 a year, principle to get up electioneering cries against without any additional facilities, and they were the only htbour that would keep the sugar not prepared to make that sacrifice for the sole industry in it• present prosperous state, knowing honour of belonging to the postal union.. He at the same time that they could not provide a confessed himself unable to understand the remedy and had not the slightest intention position taken up by the leader of the Opposition Address in Reply. [ASSEMBLY.] Address in Reply. that letters should find their natural channel. He political party who did act on principle, and who knew that letters generally went on the route would take care that the colony was not hande or anyone else to circulate the speech of tion was referring to the epithet that was the hon. member. JJid he think that the attributed to him at the Roma banquet, when 'l'eleq1· the indiviclnal shoulfl be made responsible for the use of such gigantic power, even though it be derived from property, jm•t as it woulrl grow up here, if the Grosvcnors, the H.ussells, or the Bentinck lachc~ used Lhe enormous powers in thei.r hands, t,fn·ough their o'vncr ship of \Vest London. in any whimsi(?al ·way. Rc8pcct for property is stronger here than in the Enion; but just let the Duke of ,,~ estminster order his tenants, as lenses fall in. to paint all their houses lJlack. This feeling is more bitter against inllividuals than corvorations, naturally bec~ause the i